


From Childhood's Hour

by 4_angsty_zukos



Series: Mischief Managed [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Everyone Is Gay, Gay Rights, Genderfluid Character, I am writing this to spite JK Rowling, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Metamorph Janus, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Past Child Abuse, Slow Burn, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, There should have been more side character content in HP and we all know it, Trans Male Character, Trans rights babey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29330196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4_angsty_zukos/pseuds/4_angsty_zukos
Summary: Janus has always been different,  deemed unnatural and cursed by his foster family, and he's beginning to believe it may be true given all the inexplicable things that happen around him, not to mention his secret. He knows if he reveals his secret he is sure to lose everything, sure to confirm all the terrible things people believe about him. But when he gets a letter late one night from an owl, inviting him to a school that promises a chance at answers and a place to belong, he begins to hope he can finally fit in somewhere.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Mischief Managed [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2154345
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	From Childhood's Hour

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Story_Teller_Of_Untold_Legends](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Story_Teller_Of_Untold_Legends/gifts), [F00PY](https://archiveofourown.org/users/F00PY/gifts).



> I had an idea while reading F00PY's Analogical Hogwarts au and I just had to write this. I really liked all the lore involved in Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts , and SOME of Cursed Child ( we do not talk about the thing), and magic fantasy settings in general delight me , so I am giving the fandom this. 
> 
> Dedicated to my dear friend, Rusty . I hope you like it!

Janus had never known his true family, never had a place that felt like home. How could he have a home when every few weeks, he was sent off with new "parents" (a laughable term to him now after 11 years) and dozens of families returning him to the orphanage like a shirt that didn't fit? He had tried to fit in at first, but inevitably something would go wrong- milk would curdle , or boil away, windows would break , fires would erupt, things would break- always when he was in the room, and he was always blamed, despite not touching anything or visibly doing anything to cause it. Rinse and repeat, a cycle he couldn't seem to break. _He's cursed! He's unnatural! He's destructive! He's a problem!_

 _We're sorry, Janus, it's just not working out. We'd love to keep you, Janus, but you see, it's our older child, he doesn't get along with you. We're concerned about our safety. You need help, Janus, you're too dangerous to live here._ A thousand different excuses, all with the same result. He barely bothered unpacking his suitcases anymore, merely counting the minutes until he was greeted with faux sad faces and soft tones, and the familiar trip back to St. Hedwig's Home For Children. He didn't think of himself as a particularly bad child- a smart mouth at times, shrewd and fond of mischief, certainly but not malicious or cruel on purpose. Most of his pranks involved seeking revenge on behalf of others who were wronged, or proving someone to be a liar. Janus couldn't stand people who lied to him. Of course, he lied too, but for good reasons. Adults used lies to hurt people. In his opinion, lying should be used nicely, like surprising a friend after pretending to forget their birthday. Not that he _had_ friends, but he chose to think he could have one, one day.

At the moment, he was spending the cold February night of his eleventh birthday in the home of the Auditore family, who were kind enough, but he knew they would be sending him away shortly. He was laying on his bed, reading a book by lamplight, unable to sleep. He almost missed the noise at the window due to the wind outside, but then it came again, an insistent rapping on the glass, and he turned to see an owl with - an envelope in its beak? Well, this would probably be the most interesting thing that happened to him this year, so he opened the window, letting in the creature. It flew to his dresser, landing atop it and watching him. 

"What? You can't be here to deliver mail to me. I don't have anyone who'd write to me. But maybe I can find the person your letter belongs to. " Janus reached out carefully, taking the envelope from the owl, examining it. To his shock, his name was indeed scrawled across the front in shimmering green ink. 

_To Mr. Janus Serpens_

_2nd Bedroom, Edenborough Apartments, Coventry_

That was a very specific address, and it alarmed him slightly, but also made him very curious. He opened it carefully, reading over the pages within. _You are hereby invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._ A school for magic? Obviously a joke, but he wanted it to be true. If it existed ,he might find answers as to why odd things happened around him, not to mention his... _other_ talent. The pages spoke of what he'd need for school, and had a seperate note enclosed detailing a bank account under his family name, left to him by his father, and how to access the account. _We await your owl, no later than September 1st._ Janus chuckled lightly. He'd play along, if only to amuse himself for awhile. After all, even if it was real, he had no way of getting to this place or even to the bank. He sat down at his desk, writing a reply to the letter, and sealing it in a new envelope, copying down the school address on the front, then holding out the envelope to the owl. "Would you mind taking back my reply? Oh, but first, I should give you a treat for your services, hm? " He rummaged in his desk drawer, taking out a piece of jerky and offering it to the owl.The creature took it, eating quickly, then took the envelope from him and flew back out the open window. 

* * *

It had been nearly two months since he'd received his acceptance letter to Hogwarts, and though he still felt the whole thing was likely a hoax, he did find it vastly entertaining to follow along with the requests in the letter. At the moment, he was currently living in London, with his latest foster family, the Fentons. They were content to let him roam the city as long as he was home by dinner and didn't request too much spending money, so he had ample time to search the city for this Gringotts bank. He squinted at a city map as he walked down the sidewalk.He was not amused that finding this place was so hard. 

"Gringotts. What kind of a name is that? What language is that even? Is it in code? Should I re-arrange the letters? " He questioned, muttering to himself. 

"Uh, sorry, did you say you're looking for Gringotts? I know where that is! I can... show you, if you want, I mean, you don't have to come with me-" 

Janus turned toward the voice, finding a boy his age , dressed in a patchwork hoodie with purple plaid patches on a mostly black hoodie, ripped black jeans, black sneakers with purple laces,messy long hair dyed sangria purple, and a nervous smile. 

"You know where it is? I thought it was a hoax. You're not leading me somewhere dangerous, are you?"

The boy blinked, then laughed. He replied in a low tone, as if worried someone might overhear. "Right, because I'm so into dangerous places. No, I just thought maybe you could use a guide, you look a bit lost. I'm Virgil Storm. I'm heading to Diagon Alley anyway, I can take you with me. We just need to meet back up with my dad, I'm sure he won't mind helping you. "

"Diagon Alley? Never heard of it. But sure, I'll tag along. I'm Janus Serpens. So if you're going to Gringotts, did you get a Hogwarts letter too?" Janus matched the low tone, a bit excited to be sharing a secret. 

"Yeah, but they'll probably kick me out for being a bad wizard.Guess we'll see how long it takes. So your parents aren't magic, then? You seem a bit lost about all the magic stuff. It's okay! My mom was a Muggle, Dad's a wizard, so I get it. My Dad's at a cafe just down the street, it was too crowded so he let me wait outside for a minute as long as I don't wander too far. "Virgil started to lead Janus to a small cafe. 

"So it's real then, magic? That would explain a few things. "Janus followed Virgil, extremely curious about what all this magic stuff was. 

"Yes, it's real, but we really shouldn't talk about it out loud until we're in Diagon Alley. "Virgil replied, heading into the cafe, momentarily tense and wary of thecrowd, then smiling when he spotted his dad, waving to him. "Dad! I made a friend! For now anyway! Can he come with us for school shopping? He needs a guide. " He made his way through the crowd, grabbing Janus's hand and tugging him along gently.

"Oh, of course your friend can join us, Virgil! Is he hungry? I haven't ordered our lunch yet. It's nice to meet you, I'm August Storm. " Mr. Storm held out a hand to Janus once the boys reached him. Janus shook it shyly. "Hi. I'm Janus Serpens. I don't mean to be a bother to you and Virgil, I just don't know where to get my school stuff , and my foster folks aren't helpful. And I am hungry, but you don't need to -"

"Now now, none of that! You're Virgil's friend, that makes you family, and I'm happy to treat you to lunch. I see why you two clicked, you're just as anxious as he is. A foster child, eh? I can understand how that would complicate your educational needs. Not to worry! I'm glad to help you out! I 'm used to helping out new students anyway. We'll make sure you get all the things you need for your first year. Just do me a favor, stick with Virge here at school, ok? "

" _Dad! I don't need a babysitter! He's the same age anyway!"_ Virgil hissed, embarrassed.

"No, no, I don't mind. You seem like a tolerable friend. "

"High praise, thanks Janus. " Virgil smirked. 

" No problem. " Janus smirked back. He liked Virgil's sarcasm. He hoped Virgil meant it when he'd called him a friend. 

* * *

" You ever been to wizard London, Janus? "

Janus bit back a laugh. "Oh, clearly, that's why I know all about magic. I was only wandering the streets looking lost for fun. "

"Very funny. Stay close then, it can be overwhelming, even for Virge, and he's been shopping with me a few times. If you don't have a safe place to store your school stuff, we can hang onto it for you! "

Janus blinked. "You just met me. Why would you do something like that?"

"Because if Virgil was in a situation like yours, I'd want someone to help him. And magic is supposed to be a secret from Muggles anyway, sending you home with spellbooks and such would raise trouble for both of us. " August stepped up to a brick wall, looked around to ensure no pedestrians were watching, and pulled out a long stick from his satchel, tapping a few bricks in a pattern with it. The whole wall trembled, then shifted ,forming an archway. He led the boys through it, smiling. "Welcome to the world of magic, Janus. "

Janus took in the sights, amazed. Thick crowds surged around their group, people dressed in robes and hats of every color and pattern, several with an odd creature in hand or talking about all manner of oddities- of magic. Dozens of shops lined the streets, selling cauldrons, potions, broomsticks, various animals, clothing- and all of it was completely different from what he'd seen before.Everything here was strange and different and he didn't feel like he needed to hide the way he often did in crowds. He felt relaxed in a way entirely foreign to him. 

"How did you do that with your hair? It was brown before but now it's all golden blonde. Is it a spell?" Virgil asked suddenly, looking at him curiously. 

Oh no. He hadn't meant to change his appearance. He'd only known about this ability for a few months, since just before the Hogwarts letter arrived. He didn't understand how or why, but he could change his appearance. He didn't have good control over it yet, and had taken to wearing a fedora to hide his hair most of the time , but today he'd forgotten it. 

"I- It's always been that color!" This was it. His secret was out and his new- _only-_ friends were going to shun him and call him a freak and leave him here, and he deserved it because whatever this was , it was wrong, he was wrong. It had to be true, he got told it often enough. 

"Janus, it's ok! I've heard about people like you before. You're a Metamorph, a rare kind of wizard indeed. They can look however they choose to, but emotions can sometimes trigger changes without them even trying. Harry Potter's godson is a Metamorph. There's nothing wrong with you, Janus. " 

_There's nothing wrong with you. There's nothing wrong with you. There's nothing wrong with you._ Mr. Storm's words echoed in his mind. Janus wasn't sure how to process this. Rejection he was used to. Acceptance was territory he assumed would always be out of his reach. "You... you're not mad. That's not what I anticipated. But it's a pleasant surprise. A Metamorph? That sounds fascinating. Are there guidebooks on how this works? Do we have the same rights as other wizards or are we ostracized because we're so rare? "

"I can see you'll do well in school, you're already curious! Let's get to Gringotts so we can get you two your school stuff. " Mr. Storm laughed, guiding the boys to the bank. 

Gringotts had not been what he expected- not that he could tell what to expect in the magical side of London, but it was still startling despite that. His hair had turned a dozen different shades as they went through the process of getting checked into the bank, and he was certain his hair had been pure white on the terrifying mine cart ride to the vaults. The safety of the bank customers seemed an afterthought in the wizard world and Janus did not like the implications that presented for the rest of wizard society. His bank vault was the largest shock by far. When the large doors opened, he was stunned to see it packed with various shiny treasures, most of which were coins, but gems sparkled among the piles too, as did goblets and jewelry and plenty of decor items. 

"My father left me all of this? He had all this money , and couldn't be bothered to _keep_ me? Seems like a real saint. Devastated I never met the man. " 

The goblin who had escorted them huffed. "Murinus Serpens was an extremely talented Auror. His line of work left him with a lot of enemies, I'm sure. I doubt he left you with Muggles out of spite. And he did work to ensure you were legally his sole heir. Here, lad, complimentary withdrawal pouches. You can withdraw up to ten thousand Galleons worth without paperwork, any higher requires signed forms. We close at midnight, so if you need more funds you can come back until then. Opening hour is 9 AM. "

Janus took the leather pouches, a bit unsure of what to take from the vault. "I don't understand wizard money yet. Would you mind helping me, Mr. Storm? I just want to ensure I grab the right things. "

* * *

" I can't believe you convinced me to buy all that candy, V. And so many books that weren't on the list for classes!" 

"Candy is comfort food, books are part of a steady nerd diet, and you're a nerd, and you're _RICH._ Why did you insist on getting my owl for me ? I could have gone for a cheaper one-" 

"Like you said, I'm rich. I saw you staring at her for like ten minutes, I wasn't gonna listen to you whine about how you wanted her later on. Besides, she clearly hates you judging by how much she's nuzzling you. And how she screeches to be let out of her cage to ride on your shoulder. "

"Pff, whatever. But thanks. Coraline's great. And your owl is really pretty too. " 

" Aww, hear that, Hecate? You have an admirer. " Janus reached through the bars of his owl's cage, petting Hecate fondly. 

"We still need to get you both a wand. Ready to visit Lightwood and Bane's?"

Janus smiled. "I feel like I'm ready for just about anything, Mr. Storm. "


End file.
